Delve, who can play back row or second row, has hardly featured for Bath this season because of injury, but he now gets his Wales opportunity.

Hansen has omitted several players who filled varying roles during this season's RBS 6 Nations campaign, when Wales lost all five games.

Among those players left at home are Northampton lock Steve Williams, Bath flanker Gavin Thomas and the Llanelli pair Leigh Davies and Matthew Watkins.

Hansen has decided to name four captains for the short trip, which features appointments with Australia in Sydney on June 14 and New Zealand in Hamilton seven days later.

Martyn Williams, Colin Charvis, Robin McBryde and Stephen Jones will act as leaders on the three-week trip, with Hansen unlikely to name his Test skipper until just before the relevant games.

"The reason for naming four tour captains is because we are trying to grow leadership qualities within the squad," said Hansen.

"It gives us greater options and means the work-load off the field can be shared around four senior players.

"As well as the four captains, we will also have a lineout leader and a midfield leader to join them in forming a senior player group that will be able to not only consult with the management team, but also provide a ready-made point of contact for the younger squad members.

"This is a system that has been used very successfully in a number of other sports, notably with the Australian women's hockey team. They used to have anything up to five captains in their squad.

"When we do name a Test captain, we will also have a number of capable lieutenants backing him up, players that some of the less experienced members of the team can turn to at any time."

As for the players who were not selected - and that list also features Wales' record international point scorer Neil Jenkins - Hanson added: "We weren't able to consider a number of players for a variety of reasons.

"Some are ruled out through injury, others because of personal reasons and some because we want them to stay at home and work on their weaknesses."

The omission of Watkins though, is a major surprise, given that he has proved himself this season as one of the most exciting attacking players in Wales.

Hansen confirmed that wings Craig Morgan and Dafydd James were both injured, and that Ian Gough and Chris Wyatt will be on stand-by in case Pontypridd's Michael Owen is ruled out by injury.

Wales squad for Tests against Australia in Sydney and New Zealand in Hamilton next month